Eberle's Overtime Goal Lifts Islanders To Victory Over Kings
NEW YORK (AP) — The Islanders have been winning at home with regularity this season. Against the suddenly stumbling Los Angeles Kings, New York just needed some extra time.
Jordan Eberle scored 1:54 into overtime to lift the Islanders to a 4-3 victory over the Kings on Saturday night, handing Los Angeles its third straight loss after an eight-game winning streak.
Eberle took a pass from linemate Mathew Barzal before firing the puck past Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper and sending the Barclays Center crowd into a frenzy.
"It's fun playing in overtime," Bailey said. "When you get there, you bear down and find a way. It's always exciting when you win."
John Tavares had a goal and two assists, and Josh Bailey and Anders Lee each had a goal and an assist as the Islanders took the lead after they trailed 2-0. Thomas Greiss stopped 26 shots to help New York win for just the second time in seven games (2-4-1) and improve to 10-2-2 at home.
Kings forward Anze Kopitar sent the game to overtime with a goal with 13 seconds remaining in regulation before Eberle's heroics.
"Even with the adversity at the end, we found a way to win," said Eberle, acquired from Edmonton last June and who has scored 13 goals since Oct. 28. "We were playing well. With the way the offense has gone, we feel like can score to come back."
Oscar Fantenberg, Tyler Toffoli and Anze Kopitar scored for the Kings. Kuemper finished with 29 saves.
"We got the tying goal in the dying second and in overtime I just wasn't able to make the save," said Kuemper. "Right now we're feeling like we left a point on the table."
Kopitar tied the score 3-3 when he knocked the puck past Greiss after a scramble in the crease. Kopitar's team-leading 17th goal came after Lee had given New York a 3-2 lead with 3:16 left.
Lee's goal completed a three-goal rally by the Islanders after the Kings scored twice in the first period.
Greiss made a huge save on a breakaway by Kopitar in overtime to give Eberle the chance to win the game.
"It's a really big win. We dug deep," Islanders coach Doug Weight said. "That was a great save, a pressure save."
Bailey narrowed the margin to 2-1 with 50 seconds to go in the opening period with his ninth of the season with assists to Tavares and defenseman Calvin de Haan.
Bailey, tied for the team lead with Tavares with 41 points, has points in five straight games — four goals and five assists, including his first career hat trick against Columbus on Thursday.
Tavares tied the score with a power-play goal at 4:15 of the third after Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin was penalized for elbowing Cal Clutterbuck at 3:50. Tavares whipped the puck past Kuemper for his 19th.
Fantenberg opened the scoring with his second of the season at 12:56 of the first period. The 26-year-old rookie defenseman from Sweden blasted a shot from the middle of the blueline past Greiss.
Toffoli then made it 2-0 on the power-play with 2:49 left in the opening period with his 15th of the season. It gave the Kings a power-play goal in five straight games.
The Islanders held a 14-10 shots on goal advantage in the opening period.
The brisk pace continued in the second, which featured a short fight between Jason Chimera of the Islanders and the Kings' Trevor Lewis 2:27 into the period.
The Islanders outshot the Kings 10-8 in the scoreless middle period that included two power-play chances for the Islanders.
The Kings were coming off a 4-2 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Friday after dropping a 5-1 decision to the Devils on Tuesday that ended their long winning streak.
Kuemper started for the Kings after Quick played against the Rangers.
Weight was most pleased the Islanders continuing to play with confidence at Barclays Center. The Islanders host Detroit, Anaheim and Winnipeg before the three-day Christmas break.
"There's a good vibe here," Weight said of the Brooklyn arena. "We feel comfortable here. You hope you can carry this good feeling forward."
NOTES: F Steve Bernier, recalled from Bridgeport on Friday, made his season debut for the Islanders while skating on a line with Anthony Beauvillier and Chimera. Bernier had 10 goals and four assists in 21 games for Bridgeport. The 32-year-old winger played 24 games for the Islanders in 2015-16 and spent all of last season with the Sound Tigers. Bernier was recalled when Josh Ho-Sang was sent down. ... Los Angeles won the first meeting between the teams on Oct. 17 in LA, 3-2. ... The Islanders have allowed the first goal in 22 of their first 33 games. ... New York scratched forwards Alan Quine and Shane Prince plus defenseman Dennis Seidenberg. ... The Kings scratched forwards Andy Andreoff and Jonny Brodzinski and defenseman Kurtis MacDermid.
UP NEXT:
Kings: At Philadelphia on Monday night to conclude a four-game trip.
Islanders: Host Detroit on Tuesday night.
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